Former White House official John Bolton suggests that tariffs imposed on India by the US for purchasing Russian oil may have unintended consequences, potentially driving New Delhi closer to Beijing and Moscow.
'The longer India hangs out to dry, the worse the New Delhi-Washington relationship gets.'
In a post on X on Saturday, Zelenskyy revealed that he and Trump had held a "long and substantive" call, beginning with one-on-one talks and later including European leaders in a broader discussion, where Trump briefed him on his recent meeting with Putin.
United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that the secondary tariffs on India could go up if 'things don't go well' during talks between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday reaffirmed his commitment to the country's territorial integrity, insisting that Kyiv continues to claim all territories now under Russian control, RT reported.
His assertion came after Trump claimed that his "friend" PM Modi has assured him that India would stop purchasing oil from Russia, a move he described as a big step toward increasing pressure on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
Supporting Trump's proposal for a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the US, and Russia, Zelenskyy said, "Key issues can be discussed at the level of leaders, and a trilateral format is suitable for this."
When asked about Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with Chinese President Xi Jinping at China's military parade and whether he is considering slapping secondary sanctions on Moscow, Trump said, "Well, I've already done that with regard to India, and we're doing it with regard to other things."
Trump has played throughout his career as a deal-maker who could deliver where others could not, and Ukraine represents the ultimate test of that image, notes Manish Dabhade.
The ministry of external affairs spokesperson said that the meeting holds the promise of bringing to an end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and opening up the prospects for peace.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio claims President Donald Trump was instrumental in bringing about the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan, a claim India has consistently denied.
The US Department of the Treasury on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Russia's two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, in an effort to pressure the Kremlin to end its war in Ukraine.
Both men spent most of their careers in their nations' intelligence services before they ascended to bigger roles -- Doval in the Intelligence Bureau; Putin in the KGB.
Lavrov, who addressed the UN General Assembly shortly before External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's speech at the high-level General Debate, said India and Russia share a "particularly privileged strategic partnership".
Bolton slammed Trump's tariff policy, asserting that it has "shredded" decades of Western efforts to align India away from its Cold War ties with the then Soviet Union (Russia) and address the growing threat from China.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that the country's airspace had been violated by "a huge number of Russian drones" which were shot down by its military.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet in Tianjin on Sunday, their first in about 10 months, for wide-ranging talks aimed at improving relations.
Ukraine has been informed about the Trump-Putin call.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) strongly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and concurred with India's position that 'double standards' in the fight against terrorism are unacceptable.
The Indian government is dealing with the matter having in mind the national interests of this country in the first place, he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday apologised to Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev for the crash of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8432 in which 38 passengers were killed near Aktau in Kazakhstan, Euro News reported.
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen's comments came amid a major downturn between New Delhi and Washington after US President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 percent, including a 25 percent additional duties for India's purchase of Russian crude oil.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday said the US threats of tariffs against India and China are failing and there is a growing understanding in Washington of the futility of talking in such language with two ancient civilisations.
Trump also said he is "very disappointed" that India would be buying "so much oil" from Russia.
The Ukrainian President's remarks come amid US President Donald Trump's criticism of India and China, labelling the countries as "primary funders" of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Ahead of trade talks between Indian and United States officials in Delhi, White House trade advisor Peter Navarro said India, which has the 'highest tariffs' of any major country, is 'coming to the table'.
India should simultaneously prioritise domestic exploration and production of more oil and gas in the country, and ensure we retain diversified suppliers for imports, points out former foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai.
US President Donald Trump claimed he resolved the India-Pakistan conflict earlier this year with trade and asserted that he should receive the Nobel Peace Prize for "ending seven wars."
Sullivan remarks come amid the rising friction between Washington and New Delhi due to the 50 percent tariffs imposed on Indian goods, which include a 25 percent penalty for buying Russian oil.
Describing the visit as "productive" in a post on X, the PM said he emphasised India's position on key global issues during his engagements.
President Trump claims American tariffs imposed on India for purchasing Russian oil have negatively impacted Russia's economy, referring to India as Russia's major oil buyer. He also mentioned plans to meet with Putin and Zelenskyy, and claimed to have solved several wars, including the conflict between India and Pakistan.
Russia's unprecedented rapprochement with North Korea has raised concerns about the re-emergence of a Russia-China-North Korea alliance which could increase the probability of conflict on the Korean Peninsula, explains Dr Rajaram Panda.
'Modi's a great leader... But I don't understand why he's getting into bed with Putin and Xi Jinping...'
Older Russians recall Mithun Chakraborty and the song Jimmy Jimmy Aaja from the movie Disco Dancer.
The White House trade advisor's remarks came on a day US President Donald Trump announced that India and the US are continuing negotiations to address the trade barriers.
One key development is the direct cargo connection between Chennai and Vladivostok, a crucial Russian port on the Northern Sea Route.
New Delhi 'will have to take a call which supply source suits us the best,' the finance minister said, pointing out that crude oil accounts for the bulk of India's foreign exchange spend.
The US move to align with Russia is prompted by fear of a Sino-Russian joint threat. Russia, fully aware of its military vulnerability vis a vis China may cautiously welcome the American move, assesses Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that the Trump administration hopes it can fix the "measures" it has taken with regard to India for its purchases of Russian oil.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has travelled to Russia to hold crucial talks on bilateral energy and defence ties and to prepare ground for Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India later this year.
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